Energy Solutions Designed to Power the Future

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The Canadian Solar 1 Solar Farm is an 8.5-megawatt (MW) alternating current (AC), utility-scale, ground-mount solar farm located in Stone Mills, Ontario. The site sits on 150 acres of land, with 85 acres dedicated to the solar farm. It is one of many exciting PCL-built projects in the rapidly growing sustainable energy sector.

Solar panels on the Solar 1 project in Ontraio, Canada.

By developing expertise in the solar energy market, PCL was able to build a solid relationship with Canadian Solar, one of the world’s largest solar panel producers. The relationship led to Canadian Solar awarding PCL five Engineer, Procure, and Construct (EPC) contracts for solar farms across Ontario. Combined, these projects are able to generate almost 50 megawatts of alternating current back to the grid—enough power for about 7,500 homes.

Organized for Success

Through the EPC delivery method, PCL was able to provide a single-source contact to Canadian Solar, while minimizing administration processes. PCL also maximized the efficiency and quality of the finished and installed product, which translated into faster revenue generation for the client.

Ontario has strict renewable energy policies and requirements. The knowledge and experience of PCL’s dedicated team of renewable energy specialists ensured that all regulations for this project, including those needed to protect the client’s investment, were met.

Design Solutions for Maximum Output

Experience with geographically diverse environments, including difficult terrain and remote locations, allowed the PCL team to develop a design for the solar farm that capitalized on the shale and rock formations on the site to maximize exposure to the sun. This solution proved to be practical in terms of ensuring both minimized voltage losses and maximized output capacity, which significantly increase revenue for the client.

Quality Ensures Output Reliability

The expertise of the PCL team in the field of renewable energy, and the relationships fostered with top suppliers and consultants in the construction industry, enabled PCL to ensure the highest standard of quality installation and to achieve a higher-than-average life expectancy for the solar installation, even taking into account severe weather and wind conditions. A rigorous performance testing and commissioning program for the completed system ensured that the solar farm is performing as designed and providing clean, renewable energy to North America’s electricity grid.

“PCL’s leadership, professionalism, innovation, safety‐first focus, and dedication to excellence were clearly evident while working together throughout this project,” said Canadian Solar. “These attributes resulted in a well‐organized and efficiently run project that was delivered on budget, and is currently exceeding output expectations.”